Photo : Esther Lin
Floyd Mayweather Jr. had his undefeated record intact on Saturday night. He was able to secure a unanimous decision victory over Argentinean slugger Marcos Maidana during the rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The scores were 115-112, 116-111 and 116-111 all for Mayweather.
The fight did not live up to the expectation that it will be as action packed as the first bout. Floyd learned a lot the first fight who received a certain degree of punishment we haven’t seen in years.
Floyd adjusted well, not allowing Maidana to pin him towards the ropes. He moved and used the ring and landed the cleaner shots.
But what I don’t like was Floyd’s excessive holding. He held more than enough to avoid the massive overhand right from Maidana. The overhand right from Maidana was extremely effective in the first bout.
Referee Kenny Bayless separated the two fighters every time Floyd held. But there’s no warning from the referee’s end for that matter.
But Bayless took outright one point deduction from Maidana for pushing Floyd with his elbow.
Floyd has been warned for using an elbow to create punching room whenever they got tangled.
But never had I heard Bayless warned Maidana for elbows, but then he decided to deduct points from the challenger. I have great respect for referee Bayless but the deduction doesn’t just seem right at that point. If that was a close fight; that one point deduction would really matter.
In Round 8, maybe out of frustration, it seemed that Maidana bit Floyd’s left hand. Based on Floyd’s reaction and the replay it seemed Maidana did bit Floyd.
But if Maidana did bit Floyd, the question is; at what degree damage could a bite may had? Given the fact that Maidana had his mouth piece on and Floyd had gloves on his hand. Maybe Floyd just exaggerate to get Bayless’ attention?
Jim Gray of Showtime asked Maidana if he did bit Floyd after the fight. Maidana told that if he was a dog, he will bite him (Floyd).
If he thinks I’m a dog, (laughs) … I never bit him,” Maidana said. “I bit him with a mouthpiece? He was rubbing my eyes with his gloves. Maybe his glove was in my mouth but I never bit him … It was a childish ploy by him.”
It’s funny that the talking point after this fight might be: Maidana “bite-or-not-bite” Mayweather.
Before Maidana’s interview with Gray the fans got excited. Gray asked Floyd about a possible fight with Manny Pacquiao. And here’s Floyd’s answer:
I’m going to go back with my team and reassess things,” he said. “If the Manny Pacquiao fight can happen, let’s make it happen. But Manny Pacquiao needs to focus on the fight that he has in front of him. If he can get past that fight, let’s make it happen.”
Really?
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